Ambassador of the Czech Republic Visits the University of Sarajevo - Discussions on Cooperation and Strengthening Ties through Education, Science and Art

H.E. Jana K. Lolić Šindelková, Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Mr. Josef Zrzavecký, Deputy Ambassador and Cultural Attaché, visited the University of Sarajevo today where they met with Rector, Prof. Dr. Tarik Zaimović, and the Vice-Rector for Arts, Artistic Research, Culture and Sports, Prof. M.A. Arma Tanović-Branković.

The visit was marked by a dialogue on strengthening cooperation between the University of Sarajevo and universities in the Czech Republic, with a special focus on improving scientific and artistic research, infrastructure capacities and the development of strategic areas such as artificial intelligence. The potential for joint projects, exchange of knowledge and experience, as well as opening new opportunities for connecting art academies of the University of Sarajevo with film schools and art academies in the Czech Republic, were discussed.

The occasion for this significant visit was the joint organization of an exhibition with the aim of recalling the spirit of freedom of the Czech people through the struggle for democratic change in the 20th century and the role of student movements in key historical moments. The exhibition highlights the events of 1939, when students in Czechoslovakia became a symbol of resistance to fascism with their protests, but also the events of 1989 during the Velvet Revolution, when students once again led the fight for freedom and democratic change in Eastern Europe.

The exhibition was organized on the occasion of International Students' Day, which is celebrated on 17 November, and is the result of cooperation between the University of Sarajevo and the Embassy of the Czech Republic.

Visitors to the exhibition have the opportunity to learn about key moments of the struggle for freedom, including the deaths of nine students, the closure of ten universities and the arrest of more than 1,300 students who were deported to concentration camps after the 1939 protests. Visitors can also learn more about the student role in the overthrow of the communist regime towards the end of the 20th century.

Today's visit highlighted the shared values ​​and vision of cooperation between the University of Sarajevo and the Embassy of the Czech Republic in BiH. The University of Sarajevo continues its commitment to developing international academic partnerships, enriching cultural ties and strengthening cooperation in innovative research areas.